Late Rally Not Enough as Sox' Season Ends
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VICTORIA, B.C. - The Wenatchee AppleSox’ 2019 season ended with an 8-7 loss to the Victoria HarbourCats in Game 3 of the 2019 West Coast League North Division Championship Series.
Trailing by two runs entering the ninth inning, the AppleSox loaded up the bases and scored four runs to take a two-run lead into the bottom of the frame. The HarbourCats scored three times in the bottom half of the inning to walk off the Sox.
After the AppleSox won Game 1 on Tuesday, the HarbourCats won each of the final two games to win the best-of-three series.
Victoria scored first for the first time in the series after three consecutive singles to open the bottom of the first inning. The Sox took the lead back when Cody Simmons drove in two with a two-RBI double in the fourth, but the HarbourCats tied it back up on Griffin Paxton’s second RBI-single of the night in the fifth.
Nick Adams launched a three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth to give the HarbourCats a three-run lead, which proved to be the largest of the game for either team.
Despite trailing 5-2, the AppleSox wouldn’t go down quietly. Jashaun Simon doubled with two outs in the top of the seventh and scored when Brett Gillis singled and went to second on a throwing error.
The two teams had scored a combined eight runs through the first eight innings and nearly matched that total in the ninth inning alone. With one out, the AppleSox loaded up the bases and cut the deficit to one when Gillis hit a sacrifice fly. Tanner Smith added to the drama with a two-RBI double to right field and then scored on an RBI single by Torin Montgomery. All told, eight men came to the plate and four runs scored to give the AppleSox a 7-5 lead.
Though they needed just three outs to advance to the West Coast League Championship Series for the first time since 2013, the AppleSox couldn’t record an out in the bottom of the ninth. Nick Plaia led off with a single, Gus Wilson walked and then Griffin Paxton doubled in Plaia to make it a one-run game. Harrison Spohn second Victoria to its second Championship Series in three years with a 2-RBI, walk-off single to right field.
The HarbourCats will face the Corvallis Knights in the Championship Series starting Friday night at 6:35 in Victoria. Like the divisional round, this is a best-of-three series. Corvallis defeated Walla Walla, two-game-to-one, to advance to its fourth straight Championship Series. The Knights will look to add to their WCL-best six championships with another while the HarbourCats look for their first.
Stay tuned to AppleSox.com for the latest offseason information on the team and the soonest updates on the 2020 schedule. ‘Like’ the AppleSox on Facebook and follow them on Twitter and Instagram for the latest offseason news.
